Havant's Kye Stevens celebrates dominant pro debut victory at Shock N Awe 30

The Havant ace, who trains at Fratton’s Gym 01, defeated Eloge Bofale Imbula by unanimous decision.

After finishing with a record of 6-1 as an amateur, Stevens was given tough maiden bout in the paid ranks against the dangerous French knockout artist.

But the former Warblington School pupil, who is also known for his power, put on a dominant display at Portsmouth Guildhall.

And while Stevens was disappointed he didn’t finish the bout inside the distance, he feels going three rounds will bode well for the future.

He said: ‘I was over the moon, although I’m a bit gutted I didn’t get the finish.

‘I tried to get him out of there a lot earlier, but hats off to him because he had a strong chin.

‘However, going the distance helped me get a feel for the pro game so you’ve got to take the positives.

‘I was a bit cagey in the first two minutes because I thought he’d come out really aggressive.

‘It was quite a cagey start but once I got going in the second and third round, I landed some good strikes but he just wouldn’t go down.

‘I was in control for the majority of the fight and I was really happy with it.

‘It wasn’t my best performance but it’s the win that means the most to me.’

Stevens is targeting a quick turnaround and is hoping to return to the cage before the end of the year.

He added: ‘More than anything, I enjoyed going the distance and I can’t wait to get back in there.

‘I was a bit slow at the start because I didn’t want to gas myself out.

‘It was part of the game-plan and I wanted to see if I could test myself and do the three rounds. 

‘Now I’m hopefully fighting in December and get two wins under my belt before the end of the year.

‘It’s a dream come true for me.’